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The Band CAMINO at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, photo by Jon Bash/Ghost Cat for Variance

When The Band CAMINO took the stage Thursday night (June 2) at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, the excitement in the room was palpable. 

And the enthusiasm was most definitely two-sided, as a swath of devoted fans filled the 1,800-cap venue while the band also recognized the significance of the moment, as they reached one more benchmark in their career. (Last time they played Tulsa was in a 500-capacity room.)

Jeffery Jordan and his bandmates Spencer Stewart and Garrison Burgess opened the show with a dramatic live rendition of their recent single "Know It All," from their 2021 self-titled debut album. The crowd could hardly contain their excitement, and it didn't take long for Jordan to acknowledge the incredible reception from the Oklahoma audience.

Just a few songs into their set, Jordan stopped and addressed the crowd. "This is the first time we have ever gotten to kick off—" he began, pausing to gather his thoughts. "It's the first time we've ever gotten to kick off a 'leg two' of a tour. We get to do two full, fucking parts!"

The fans immediately erupted in cheers, as the singer-guitarist commented: "I feel like we're setting the tone right. I think it's gonna be a good leg."

While the idea of a second leg of a North American trek might seem rather ordinary, it's not actually a guarantee for many acts, much less their first major tour after releasing their first proper full-length. But The Band CAMINO is coming off a wild, 25-show first leg of the tour, of which all the shows were sold out, including stops in Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, Boston, New York and Philadelphia.

It's a big achievement, especially considering the band's trajectory, having built up momentum into 2019, subsequently signing with Elektra Records, only to face the sudden departure of their bassist and a global pandemic just in the first few months of 2020. A year ago, many bands were scrambling to route patchwork tours, and some of the country's biggest venues had yet to reopen. 

As the Nashville-based trio played on Thursday, the atmosphere felt reminiscent of seeing bands like The 1975 or twenty one pilots just before they rocketed into the stratosphere. With the crowd joining Jordan to sing along every word of "I Think I Like You," it was clear the band was on the cusp of their very own stratosphere moment.

It was a special performance, and it surely won't be the last time The Band CAMINO plays in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But next time, an 1,800-cap room won't be enough to contain them. Sorry, Cain's.

See photos from the show, by Jon Bash.

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